The list just keeps growing.

Add Maryville High School's Tyler Maples to a group of area football standouts being offered scholarships by the University of Tennessee.

A couple of UT assistant coaches each let Rebels' coach George Quarles know on Wednesday there was a spot on the 2007 Vols' roster for Maples.

"There's definitely an offer," Quarles said after Maryville finished its final day of spring practice. "I talked to coach (Dan) Brooks and coach (Steve) Caldwell today."

Maples joins Rae Sykes of Alcoa, Harrison Smith of Catholic and Anthony Anderson of Austin-East as local juniors already receiving offers from UT.

"No. 1, he can run," Quarles said of reasons for interest from the Vols. "He's a sub 4.5 guy (in the 40-yard dash).

"No. 2, he just makes plays. He scored 23 touchdowns for us last year and just about every one of them was big for us. He didn't get any cheap ones."

Maples was one of the key reasons the Rebels' finished the season as Class 4A state champions.

He had 15 receiving TDs, two kickoff returns for scores, four punt returns and two interception returns.

The only game he didn't score a touchdown for Maryville was the state championship, and he still set up a score for the Rebels with an interception.

"Tyler's a competitor," Quarles said. "He likes to test himself. He wanted to play Melrose for the championship because he wanted to see how good he really was.

"Those are the kind of guys who separate themselves. They want the challenge."